The article didn't really talk about the Dhamma, did it? Just metaphysics and Malaysian pedagogical habits.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]

He left buddhism because he was to much attached to buddhism. Buddhism, not Dhamma. His practice was to much conditioned by some fantasy about an ideal buddhist. So when condition is broken, the practice is gone.

Getting back to the topic ...I sympathise with the blogger. If the only Buddhism I knew was the kind he describes, I would probably leave too, and for similar reasons. And I don't think he exaggerates the problems, or not much. I don't know about Malaysia but I have seen and read about similar lay practices in SE Asia and China (look at the Kuan Yin thread here, for instance). His decision parallels the way Westerners have drifted away from Christianity as science has undermined more and more of its doctrine.Sincere, thoughtful Christians have been trying to work out a way for science and Christianity to co-exist ever since The Origin of Species was published. Buddhists are now working on the same issues.

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

All you have to do to ruin a good idea is add a little religion. I can see how it might be tough to separate the baby from the bathwater. Westerners, i think have it easier in that respect because its often taught to us first more as philosophy than religion.

"When you meditate, don't send your mind outside. Don't fasten onto any knowledge at all. Whatever knowledge you've gained from books or teachers, don't bring it in to complicate things. Cut away all preoccupations, and then as you meditate let all your knowledge come from what's going on in the mind. When the mind is quiet, you'll know it for yourself. But you have to keep meditating a lot. When the time comes for things to develop, they'll develop on their own. Whatever you know, have it come from your own mind.http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai ... eleft.html

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

I have lots of Theravada friends from Thailand and Malaysia, and they pretty much believe the same things in the same way as that guy rebelled against. It's not just the Mahayana.

Fair enough. It just seems like it's more prevalent in Mahayana Buddhism. The first few Buddhist center I went to were Mahayana and I remember one of them talking about how we needed to pray more, because enlightenment was too hard...or something like that. I remember just thinking it was a silly comment and starting to sound too "religiousy". The Theravada teachings are way more in line with the Buddha's original teachings. I guess everyone needs to choose the path that suits them the most. I can't really say much else.

pray/not pray, believe/not believe, Mahayana/Theravada, etc. at the end of the day, if one's practice helps them upholding the silas of not killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and indulgence, or if it helps one progressing further on the 8NP, then that's good practice. One word of advice I'd like to offer to that young fellow in the blog is to have some patience and a more thorough observation beyond the superficial rituals and forms of practice. If the praying/ritual part does make one become a filial son, a faithful husband, a responsible father, or a loyal friend, then isn't it a bit hasty (maybe even unfortunate) for those youths and educated to abandon Buddhism, be it Theravada or Mahayana?

Digity wrote:It just seems like it's more prevalent in Mahayana Buddhism. The first few Buddhist center I went to were Mahayana and I remember one of them talking about how we needed to pray more, because enlightenment was too hard...or something like that. I remember just thinking it was a silly comment and starting to sound too "religiousy". The Theravada teachings are way more in line with the Buddha's original teachings. I guess everyone needs to choose the path that suits them the most.

I think that's good you haven't encountered this in Theravada... but even then I hope that you'll still continue your practice. It's really the only thing that matters in the end.